The Notch-signaling pathway is a system for cell-to-cell communication used by a wide range of eukaryotes for many biological processes, such as differentiation, proliferation, and homeostasis. Delta like 4 (DI4) or delta-like ligand 4 (DII4) (hereinafter “DII4”) is a member of the Delta family of Notch ligands which exhibits highly selective expression by vascular endothelium (Shutter et al. (2000) Genes Develop. 14:1313-1318). DII4 is a ligand for Notch receptors, including Notch1 and Notch 4. The nucleic acid and amino acid sequences for human DII4 are shown in SEQ ID NO:1-2, respectively.
Methods to produce antibodies useful as human therapeutics include generation of chimeric antibodies and humanized antibodies (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,949,245). See, for example, WO 94/02602 (Abgenix) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,596,541 (Regeneron Pharmaceuticals), which publications are herein specifically incorporated by reference, describing methods of generating nonhuman transgenic mice capable of producing human antibodies.
Japanese patent application 2003/047470A2 (Asahi Kasei Kogyo) describes antibodies to the extracellular portion of human Notch ligand protein.